Australians living in rural and remote areas face challenges accessing healthcare, often resulting in poorer health outcomes compared to people living in metropolitan areas.

UniSC is passionate about changing this, so for the Bachelor of Medical Science program we offer some priority places to students from rural backgrounds.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible, you must have lived in a designated rural or remote area for at least five years consecutively, or for 10 years cumulatively, since birth. This area needs to be defined using the 2019 Modified Monash Model (MM) as:

• MM 2 Regional centres
• MM 3 Large rural towns
• MM 4 Medium rural towns
• MM 5 Small rural towns
• MM 6 Remote communities
• MM 7 Very remote communities.

You don’t need to have lived at the same address for the entire time. Any addresses you use to apply for the scheme must have been your primary home at the time. If you attended boarding school, you can use your family’s primary home. You can’t use holiday homes, secondary residences or investment properties.

To check on MM status go to the Health Workforce Locator tool, select the Modified Monash Model (2019) filter, and enter your full address.

Your address is eligible if it's classified in any category MM 2 to MM 7.

How do I apply?

When you apply for the Bachelor of Medical Science through QTAC, they will contact you about applying for the Rural Access Scheme. You will then be able to download the Rural Access Scheme coversheet from QTAC. Complete the coversheet and upload it to your QTAC application with your supporting documentation.

What documentation do I need to provide?

Acceptable supporting documentation includes:

• Supporting letters from a GP, school, university or workplace (signed originals on letterhead). Supporting letters must state your rural address.
• Invoices for telephone, rates, utilities or bank statements showing your address at the time of issue. These proof-of-residency documents can be in your parents’ names.

Letters written specifically in support of your claim must be original letters. Other documentation can be photocopies.

Please refer to QTAC Rural Access Scheme for further information.